Articulated car



Sept. 6, 1932. J. B. D. THOMPSON ARTICULATED CAR Filed Nov. l. 1930 lll/lll /Nl/f/v TOR 5.5. Thom/uson rfa/222 5) Patented Sept. 6, 1932 Unire STATES PATENT ori-ice JOHN B. D. THOMPSON, 0F UNION CITY, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORifl\.'..IONV OF NEW JERSEY ARTICULATED CAR Application filed November 1, 1930. Serial No. 492,691.

This invention relates to articulated railway cars of the type in which the adjacent end portions of two car bodies are supported by a common or builing truck, and the invention I has specific reference to the articulation joint for two car bodies.

One object of this invention is the provi` relative sidewise and vertical shifting of said` bodies.

Another obj ect of this invention is the provision of a new and improved means for supporting the foot plate which is arranged between the adjacent end portions of two `car bodies.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved body connection casting for use with the bodies of an articulated car.

A further objectv of this invention is the provision of a Jfoot plate supporting mem- `ber ttor the adjacent end portionsl of two' bodies of an articulated car which is adapted to prevent relative sidewise and vertical shift-j ing of the bodies, and which is further adapted to talle the buliing shocks to which the bodies are subjected.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Y Figure 1 is a view looking down on parts of the underframes of two adjacent bodies of an articulated car, showing the bolsters of a pivot truck associated therewith, the section being taken on the line 1-1, Fig.` 2.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the articulation joint of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 34-3, Fig. V2. V i

Fig. 4 is a sectionalview showing a modiication of the invention shown in Fig. 2; the view showing a modilied form of foot plate supporting member and the means for positioning the same. Y Y

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the con- 0" struction shown in Fig.`4, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of bolster construction.

Referring now more particularlyto the drawing in which similar characters of refer ence designate similar parts in the several views, inasmuch as the specic construction of the bodies forms no `part Iof the present invention, they are not illustrated, and it is to be understood that the bodies may assume any preferred or desired `form. Further, while a pivot truck is associated with the are ticulation joint of the present invention, the speciiic form thereof has no bearing on the present invention with the exception that the truckcomprises twoY bolsters, and in the drawing4 only the bolsters are shown, it being understood Vthat the truck itselfmay assume any preferredor desired construction.

Y The car bodies, of course, have an underframe and the same includes spaced channels 2 defining center sills and between the channels body center castings 4 are secured; rivets Grconnecting the side walls 8 of said castings to said center sills. The castings comprise top and bottom walls 10 and 1l respectively, reinforced by suitable internal webs or stileners 12. Formed with the front ends of the castings are depending arcuate or recessed projections 13 and body bearings 14 are providedwhich depend from the bottom walls of the castings, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, said body bearings being alined with and engaged in segmental truck'bearings' 16, carried by truck bolsters 18, which latter are suitably mounted Aupon and form parts ofa pivot truck, (not ,show"n),and

which bolsters are independent in their operation. Secured to each body casting at the top wall 10 thereofis a top coverplate 20, and

the car floors, shown diagrarnmatically.at'l 22, are provided with threshold castings 24. `To

permit passengers to passfrom one car body j 34 with castings 4, whereby pulling stresses aus are transmitted from the bodies to the truck. The arcuate-shaped projections 13 define buffing areas and it will be apparent that buffing shocks will be transmitted fromthe bodies through the pin 28 to the truck, due to the position of the pin 28 between projections 13. j v

' The pin 28, being arranged between the end portions ofv adjacent car bodies, more particularly being arranged between the projections 13 of castings'4, provides a construction in which excessive relative sidewise shifting of the car bodies is prevented. Due to variations in track structure or due to breaks in grade, the lcar bodies have a tendency to shift vertically relative to each other. A certain amount of' both relative sidewise and vertical shiftingis desirable and in fact necessary, in view of variations intrack conditions, tra'ck'curves,v etc., but excessive relative vertical shifting should lbe prevented, andfto accomplish this,.the lower end of pin 28-is provided with oppositely arranged openings 40 inwhich va-locking key42 is arranged, the ends of Vwhich extend between lugs-44, formed. with the bottom wall of the bolsters 18. The bottom walls ofthe bolsters 18vare also provided with stops to prevent loss of the key 42; one bolster having an integral abutment 46 adjacent they lugs44, while the other bolster is provided with a removable abutment in the form of a cap screw 48 arranged adjacent lugs 44 and provided vwith a head 50 which serves as an abutment, as will be apparent.V Figs. v4 and 5 disclose a modified form of meansv for retaining the foot. plate support and buffer in position.V `In the construction shown in these figures the pin 30 is hollow and is provided with a bottom end closure 52 apertured as at 54 to receive a bolt 56 which supports a locking key 58 and which bolt nor mally urgeszthekey 58 upwardly to hold the latter in oppositely larranged slots 60 formed in thelower end of the pin, the key having its opposite ends positioned between 'oppositely arranged pairs of lugs 61. Thewbolt 56is normally urged upwardly and retained in position by springs 62 seating between the bottom endv closure 52 and aspring plate 64 on the bolt 56 vadj acent the head 66 thereof. l' In Fig. 1 the bolsters 4 are shown as lbeing spacedfrom eachother from end toend but passing'around curves, the two car bodies willv swivel about the center of the spacingy and bufling element 28 for the reason that the center of said element 28 is the center of the bearing surfaces of the connected bearings 14 and 16and is also the center from which the arcs of the segmental bearingplates ofthe'respective car Vbodies are struck. f Obviously it is necessary to provide sufiicient clearance between working parts to compensate for variations in track structure and to compensate fork breaks in track grades and ythis hasbeen done in designing the articulated joint of the present invention.

- As each car body is supported by its ownv truck bolster and bearingplates, each body may oscillate or sway independently of or relative to the other; At the same time the bodies are prevented from excessive relative vertical shifting dueto the key 42 which eX- tends between the bolsters 18 and is carriedby c the'pin28.

Buiiing between the adjacent end portions of the car bodies is taken care of by the pin 28 due to its position between the ends of the adjacent castings 4; the pin 28 being arranged in the recessed ends of the castings, and more particularly between the projections 13.k Due to the positioning of the pin V28v it will be apparent 'that excessive relative sidewise 'shifting between the adjacent end portions of the Ycar bodies is prevented. The pin A28 is provided with the before mentioned depending flange 34 which is engaged in the recesses 32 of the castings 4. It will. be obvious to those skilled yin the art that pullingstresses are transmitted from one body tothe other and' from'the bodies to the truckl bv means of the engagement of the pin 28 inthe recesses 32. The drawingherein does not disclose sidebearings but obviously within the scope of the present invention, the bolstersV 18 or the adjacent end portions of the bodies may be provided with any preferred or desired form of side bearing.

To disassemble the articulated j oint` shownV in the drawing and described herein, the key 42 is first removed from its engagement with the pin 28, whereupon the pin 28, with the foot plate 26 may be elevated to be freed from the projections 13. This will permitveither end portion of the car ybodies to be elevated to disengagethe connectedbody and truck bearings, as will be apparent. In the construction shown in Fig; 4, to disassemblethe articulated joint the key 58 is removedfromy rality of car bodies, a truck beneath the adjacent end portions of said bodies, connected body and truck bearings, and a buiing element interposed between the adjacent end portions of said bodies supported thereby for retaining said bodies in spaced relation and for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck.

2. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck for supporting the adjacent end portions of said bodies, conf nected body and truck bearings for permitting independent horizontal swiveling of the bodies, a combined body connecting element and buffer intermediate the adjacent end portions of said bodies for retaining said bodies in spaced relation, said element being the center of rotation of the bodies and being supported by the latter whereby pulling stresses are transmitted from the bodies to the truck.

3. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck beneath the bodies, bearings connecting said bodies and truck, a foot plate lapping the adjacent end portions of said bodies, and a foot plate supporting element interposed between and supported by the adjacent end portions of said bodies.

4. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck beneath the bodies, bearings connecting said bodies and truck, a foot plate lapping the adjacent end portions of said bodies, and a butiing element supported by the adjacent end portions of said bodies and removably positioned between the bearings, said element being adapted to support the foot plate.

5. In an articulated car comprising a pair of car bodies with their adjacent end portions arranged in spaced relation, a foot plate bridging the space between said bodies, and means interposed between and supported by the adjacent end portions of said bodies for supporting the foot plate.

6. In an articulated car comprising a pair of car bodies with their adjacent end portions arranged in spaced relation, a foot plate bridging the space between said bodies, and means interposed between and supported by the adjacent end portions of said bodies for supporting the foot plate and for preventing excessive' relative sidewise shifting of said 7. .In an a articulated carr comprising a. pair` ofcarbodies'havingadjacentfendportionsap rangedin:spaced'relation, a foot plate bridg-V ing' theispa-ce'between` said'adjacent end portions, .v and a; b'uiiingf elementi interposed be.- tween. the adj acent! end portions andv sup'- portedfthereby for preventing excessive rela? tive sidewise shifting oi thebodiesfandfor supporting the foot plate- 8. In an articulated' car comprising aapair of;r car. bodieshavingjadjacent end: portions arranged'inispaced relation, .a "truckv forsup"- portingy the'adj acent' end'zportions, Asaid truclz` having 'a pairl ofiindependent;bolsters,.body' bearingsitor; saidiend portions respectively. engagingthe bo'lsters, a `combined Ibung ele-Y ment and body spacer arranged betweenthe adj acentt end portions of 'the .bodies and .supportedf thereby. for transmitting4 pulling stressesfrom the bodies'tothe truck and for preventing Vexcessive relativesidewise Y shift'- ingof the.` bodies, and a :toot platesupported byv the'zbuiiingelement and bridgingfthe space between= the; adjacent end portion-s'.vr ofsaid bodies.

9:. A'A buiiing: element forf'the adj acentfi end portions of two bodies of4r an articulatedcar. comprising;r a` cylindrical member.. having. a vertical flange around its periphery extending above y.andb'elow the u'pper end of the memv ber.

10. In an articulatedcar comprising a pair of car bodies the adjacent end portions of which are providedwith vertically arranged recesses, a truck for supporting the adjacent end portions, means for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck and for preventing excessive relative sidewise shifting of the bodies comprising a buiiing element arranged in the recesses and connecting the bodies, said element extending into the truck, and means connecting said element to a truckv part to prevent excessive relative vertical shifting of the bodies.

11. A buiiing element for the adjacent end` portions of two bodies of an articulated car comprising a headed member arranged between the adjacent end portions of said bodies and provided with an upwardly extending marginal flange adapted to support a foot plate.

12. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies having recessed projections at their adjacent end portions, means for preventing relative sidewise shifting of the bodies and for connecting the bodies to transmit pulling stresses from one to the other comprising a member arranged in the recesses in said projections and supported by the bodies at their adjacent end portions.

13. In an articulated car comprising a pair of car bodies, a truck beneath the adjacent end portions of said bodies provided with a pair of holsters, bearings respectively connecting the bodies with said bolsters, vand means connecting. said bodies and truck for transmitting pulling stresses from the bodies to the truck and for preventing relative Vertical and sidewise shifting comprising a buffing element interposed between and supported by theadjacent end portions of said bodies to connectv the bodies and to retain them in spaced relation.

14. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies arranged end to end, and means for supporting a foot plate in overlapping relation withvrespect to said end portions of said bodies comprising a pin arranged between the adjacent end portions and having a head lapping said endv portions and supported thereby, said foot platebeing secured to said head. c v e 15. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies and means for supportinga foot plate in overlapping relation with respect to the adjacent end portions of said bodies comprising a pin arranged between the adjacent end portions and adapted to transmit buliing shocks from one body to another, said pin having a head lapping said end portions and supportedithereby and said foot plate being securedto said head,

In witness whereof I have hereunto `set my hand. l Y f Y JOHNB. D. THOMPSON. y

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